This disclosure relates to utility energy management, and more particularly to management of a energy supply of a utility company or of an entire supply system. In addition, this disclosure relates to energy management of facilities using energy-using devices, including such facilities as, but not limited to, households, commercial installations, manufacturing facilities, and office buildings. The disclosure finds particular application to varying consumption of a facility or of a group of facilities in accordance with demand on supply as a whole, demand of individual devices, priority of devices within a group of devices, and user preferences.
Utilities generally produce or purchase energy for customer usage in response to demand up to a maximum amount available or a maximum amount that can be handled by a distribution network. Cost and strain on the distribution network and/or on the generation and storage facilities generally increases with demand. Additional strain can be introduced by sudden changes in demand.